What you will study
Our instructors bring a wealth of knowledge to the program, as they help you prepare
for your elementary teaching career. They have served in a variety of educational
roles, including elementary teachers, instructional coaches and school administrators.
Our instructors and professors will use their own experiences to help guide you through
the Elementary Education degree program, and they will be with you every step of the
way in your field placements. Explore some of the undergraduate courses you’ll take
while earning your Bachelor of Science in Education for grades 1 through 6.
- Curriculum Design and Assessment: Learn how to use formal and informal assessment strategies to evaluate student learning
and design units of instruction that meet individual learning needs of children.
- Classroom Management and Interactions: Build classroom management knowledge and strategies that enhance and enrich teaching
and learning.
School, Family and Community Connections: Complete community service hours and gain
invaluable experience while connecting with families, students and community members.
- Practicum Experience: Become involved with students and certified elementary teachers in the public school
setting. The practicum experience provides you the opportunity to take what you’ve
learned in the coursework and apply it in the classroom with instructor supervision.
- School, Family and Community Connections: Complete community service hours and gain invaluable experience while connecting with
families, students and community members
After receiving your bachelor’s in Elementary Education degree from UCM and successful
completion of certification exam requirements, you will be certified to teach in Missouri
for grades 1–6.
Excellence in Elementary Education
- UCM’s bachelor’s in Elementary Education degree program is accredited by the Council
for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and the Missouri Department of
Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).
- In recent years, UCM graduates with Elementary Education degrees have experienced
a 99% job placement rate.
Unique learning opportunities in the Elementary Education degree program
As an Elementary Education major, you’ll learn by doing through hands-on teaching
opportunities, engaging coursework and more.
- Field placements in elementary classrooms: Our coursework in the junior and senior blocks provides field-embedded lessons and
assessments to give you real-world, applicable experiences with teaching. This will
allow you to develop skills and unique approaches to meet the needs of your future
students.
- Professional organizations: UCM offers many ways for you to get involved as you earn one of our Elementary Education
degrees and prepare for your future in the classroom. For example, join the Student
Missouri State Teachers Association, open to all UCM Education majors. By becoming
a member, you will get chances to engage with the UCM teacher community, sign up for
volunteer opportunities and hear from professional guest speakers.
- Student activities: Join undergraduate students throughout the College of Education in student-led clubs
and organizations. These include Early Childhood Young Professionals, Student Council
for the Exceptional Child, Central Missouri Mathematics Educators, PE Club, Kappa
Delta Pi, and Student Missouri State Teachers Association.
What can you do with an Elementary Education degree from UCM?
By pursuing a bachelor’s in Elementary Education degree at the University of Central
Missouri, you will gain skills to help you stand out to future employers. Our teaching
degree is designed to foster knowledge, putting you on a path to become a UCM educator
— a competent, caring, reflective practitioner committed to the premise that all can
learn.
Today, many UCM graduates with Elementary Education degrees choose to stay in Missouri
to teach. Nearly 80% of College of Education alumni are teaching in Missouri schools,
representing UCM in over three out of four of the state’s school districts.
Why UCM Elementary Education majors get hired
With a 99% job placement rate, we know that soon after you earn your teaching degree,
you will get the opportunity to enrich students who will one day change our world.
School principals have cited the following abilities they appreciate in our graduates
who become elementary teachers:
- Curriculum and lesson development
- Instructional decision-making based on student needs and achievement
- Understanding the importance of being dedicated to the profession of educating students
- Eagerness to learn and have a strong foundation in key teaching initiatives
Financial assistance options for your Elementary Education degree
The University of Central Missouri offers a high-quality education at an affordable
cost. Along with our competitive tuition rates, we understand financial assistance
can be vital to helping you achieve your dreams. We offer a variety of resources to
help you finance your college education. Beyond university-wide financial aid and scholarships, opportunities such as the
following are available specifically for Elementary Education majors:
- Department of Elementary & Early Childhood Education Scholarship
- Mary E., Clara, and Mabel Falke Memorial Scholarship
- E. L. Crayton and Margaret B. Crayton Memorial Scholarship
Meet Allison L.
BSE Elementary Education Option Grades 1–6 ’20 - Elementary Teacher, Independence
School District
“UCM made me feel so prepared to be an elementary teacher! The fact we are in the
field sophomore year is such a rare thing if you talk to people in education programs
at other colleges. We have so much field experience we are exposed to. Also, the professors
in the program care about you. You are not ‘just a student’ to them. They will do
everything to help you succeed, and they are there for you even after being in their
course.”
Fostering Excellence in Education and Promoting Fellowship
Join Kappa Delta Pi
Founded in 1911, Kappa Delta Pi (KDP) is an International Honors Society in Education.
This international organization supports and advances those dedicated to teaching,
including elementary teachers. In its 100 years, KDP has consistently grown and now
exceeds 1.2 million initiated memberships.
Learn More About KDP
Meet Sarah S.
BSE Elementary Education Option Grades 1–6 ’20 - 7th-grade Math Teacher, Odessa Middle
School
“I will never forget how one of my professors helped me navigate my senior block experience
when I had my first baby! Even though it was difficult, I am forever grateful I was
able to become a new mom while still earning my elementary teaching degree. I will
never forget my time at UCM. Every professor made class enjoyable and made me feel
like that is where I belonged.”
UCM Education majors give back to the community
Each year, UCM Education students, including Elementary Education majors, join together
to make an impact on local children and their learning experiences through two local
efforts:
- School supply drive
- Hat and glove drive
The collected items are given to the local schools we partner with for our junior
and senior block field experiences.
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Early Field Experience
You will be placed in an elementary classroom for the first time in your second or
third semester at UCM. You will complete a six-hour block of foundations courses and
spend 30 hours in an elementary classroom. This will allow you to see teaching from
a teacher’s perspective and help you know for sure you are on the right path.
Junior Year Blocks
During your junior year, you will complete two blocks. A block is a combination of
courses and an extensive placement in an elementary classroom. All of your courses
will be about teaching and learning. You will be placed in an elementary classroom
and primarily work with small groups of children – you will build relationships with
them, teach and assess them by applying your learning from the junior bock coursework.
Senior Year Blocks
During this year, you really start assuming the work of the teacher. You’ll plan with
your cooperating teacher and teach the whole class. You’ll attend professional development
and meetings along with your teacher. The second semester is student teaching and
you will be placed with one of the teachers you worked with first semester. This means
the transition to student teaching is smooth!
Student Teaching and Certification
The Clinical Services and Certification Office is located in Lovinger 2170. This office
monitors your progress from admission to teacher education through student teaching
and finalizes your certification with the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary
Education. The staff of Clinical Services Office will oversee your field experiences,
including your student teaching placement.
Accreditation
UCM is the longest continuously CAEP accredited public institution in Missouri
